Shanghai Food & Drink Gossip: July 2016

By Betty Richardson

Welcome back to another edition of Food & Drink Gossip, also known as 'How Many New Damn Restaurants Can Possibly Open in One Month?'

We'll start with the good news. Beloved fishmonger and poke-supplier to the masses – Little Catch – are opening a second branch in Jing'an's Taixing Lu, right across from Zhang Plaza. The opening is slated for late September, but get this: they'll be doing delivery. That's right, poke bowls delivered right to your office/house/bed.

Little Catch 2.0 will also have seating for 55 and poke with "more customization options," in addition to deli-style eats like smoked fish, spreads and bagels. September literally can't come soon enough.

So you may have heard that Shanghai Disneyland officially opened this month, but whatever here's the real story: there's a real, live CHEESECAKE FACTORY in the Disneytown bit. There's a little slice of home for you American expats.

No need to worry about this one being inferior to American Cheesecake Factories, sources tell us that the head chef refused to scale down the portion sizes for any supposed dainty Chinese appetites, and that the kitchen alone is 400-square meters.

Also installed is a bigger, badder version of the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (the first is in Xintiandi). We caught a glimpse of him last week for the opening, where he told us that President Obama takes his steak "well done." Awful news indeed.

Coming soon to Nanjing Xi Lu is Pachamama, an Ecuadorian restaurant opened by chef and mixologist, Miguel Monar, and supported by the Ecuadorian Consulate in Shanghai. Monar tells us the place will specialize in "ancestral" dishes that promote ingredients from Ecuador, served alongside a selection of exotic cocktails.

Meanwhile on the Bund, Spanish restaurant La Pedrera has shuttered. In its place is Sabor, a new fine dining restaurant by renowned Spanish chef Diego Guerrero. Having earned his Madrid restaurant DSTAgE one Michelin Star, it might be fair to say Guerrero has similar ambitions for Sabor when the Michelin Guide hits Shanghai in the fall. Especially since the restaurant's Chinese name has '米其林' (miqilin) – Chinese for 'Michelin' – tagged on the end*.

Image via The Gourmet Journal

* There is no such thing as a 'Michelin Star Chef.' Michelin Stars awarded by the Michelin Guide are awarded to restaurants, not people. The stars are only valid for the period of one year and must be re-earned each year subsequently.

Booze Booze Booze

And now for some sad news: Starling bar, also of Zhang Plaza, has closed. We loved their colonial South-East Asian décor and craft cocktails, but alas, it was not to be. The place has already been transformed into a new bar: Amber Whisky House.

Fans of one-hour wine delivery app, Bottles XO, your time has come. Their first brick and mortar bar, XO, is now open, boasting a full roster of all the wines available on the app at some seriously decent prices. Think RMB25-45/glass decent.

On the topic of the grape, a new wine tasting den called Anteroom has opened on Changle Lu. For RMB68 you can choose four 30ml tasting glasses out of a rotating selection of six different types, and the bottles are available for purchasing too.

Image via Dianping.com

Popular Yongkang Lu cocktail den Revolucion Cocktail has expanded to a new location in Jing'an. Where? Why the Yanping and Wuding Lu intersection, of course! This new spot joins Hunter Gatherer, RAW Eatery & Wood Grill, Bar Centrale and Fat Cow, which have also opened up on that block. Guess the area's residents can expect a healthy rent hike any day now!

Popular Danshui Lu bar Mr Shaker has opened a new cocktail bar within the Jing'an 'hood on Wuding Lu. Think zero pretence interiors, friendly staff and surprisingly serious cocktails from RMB55-60. Try the spicy 'hotpot' cocktail – you'll thank us later.

Over on Shaanxi, a new bar called Shots & Sugar has popped up. With a more sober café vibe by day, by night the place sells a selection of novelty shots and fruity looking cocktails. And of course, some cocktails served in lightbulbs. Seriously, what self-respecting new bar doesn't serve at least one drink in a lightbulb?

Feel free to email any tips, gossip and rumours vicious or otherwise to [e-mail].

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